Barton beauty shop closes after 36 years

Ione Armstrong’s beauty shop in Barton will close on December 23. She opened the shop on a shoestring 36 years ago, building the stations in her shop herself out of old kitchen cabinets. Photo by Elizabeth Trail

copyright the Chronicle December 16, 2015

by Elizabeth Trail

BARTON — A Barton landmark will close for good on December 23.

Ione’s Beauty Shop has been a fixture on Church Street, between the library and what is now Ming’s restaurant, for 36 years. But 75-year-old Ione Armstrong is making plans to retire just before Christmas.

Ms. Armstrong is looking forward to having more time to spend with her longtime partner, Douglas Bowen. The two have lived together for 26 years. And for most of those years she was running not just the shop in Barton, but also a second shop in Albany.

“He wanted me to get done so we’d have more time together. All this time, he’s never complained.”

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